News

Fortune, Anema off to the next level

By Joe Miegoc

Record Sports Writer

August 13, 2011

Tynell Fortune and Kevin Anema both had some growing up to do when they got to Pocono Mountain West.

When Fortune got to Pocono West for his sophomore year, he had been getting in trouble in school. A sitdown with Panthers coach Brad Pensyl, who told Fortune there was no place for him on the team if he didn't stay out of trouble, got Fortune on the right path.

"Coach Pensyl, that's my guy," said Fortune, the Mountain Valley Conference MVP and Pocono Record Player of the Year as a senior. "He was a huge inspiration and motivation and dedication and everything really in my life. He helped me a lot and I appreciate him being in my life. He taught me not only how to play basketball better, but he taught me how to be a better person and do things positively."

Anema's work came in the classroom.

When he came to West from New Jersey prior to his sophomore year, Anema carried a 1.6 GPA with him. By the time he graduated in June, Anema turned it all around, barely missing out on making the honor roll.

"My last semester in high school I was just 1 point away from making honor roll," said Anema, the 7-footer who is West's leader in blocked shots in a season (120) and career (171). " I just had to work really hard to achieve my goals."

Now both are moving on to the next level.

Fortune, who set single-season records for points (521), free throws made (171), free throws attempted (216) and free throw percentage (79.2) as a senior, received a full scholarship from California, Pa., which has won eight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference titles. Anema will stay close to home, earning three quarters of a scholarship from East Stroudsburg University.

Both players had other suitors.

Fortune, who is originally from Harlem, N.Y., was considering Tampa University, but wanted his family to see him play along with being able to play in numerous summer leagues he's committed to.

"It was the right choice for me because I felt the camaraderie as soon as I stepped on campus and everything is first class with that school," Fortune said. "There is a new facility being built and we've got a new workout complex. Everything is luxurious. And it's one of the top D-II schools in the nation. It's the best thing I could have."

Anema had caught the eye of several Division I schools, Temple and Xavier most noteably, and thought about going to prep school to further improve on his grades, but ESU's style of play and proximity to home made the Warriors the choice.

"(Prep school) was an option at the very end," Anema said. "After I verbally committed (to ESU) I was thinking about prep school heavily because I wanted to get stronger and I wanted to see if more schools would come look at me. I talked to Coach Pensyl and I talked to my dad and we just thought ESU was a great option."

What each experienced at West played huge roles in getting Fortune and Anema to this point.

That will always be my family at Pocono Mountain West," Fortune said. "They got me a lot of places."

"When I first moved up here I didn't think any of that was possible, but I started to see the improvement," added Anema. "The coaches started seeing it and they just push you along in practice. They're hard on you sometimes, but they want the best for you and your future. If you can win a championship along the way great, but they just want to see you be the best person that you can be."

During his 22-year coaching career, the first 13 at Pocono Mountain and the last nine at Pocono Mountain West, Pensyl has had his share of fantastic players.

Adam Gonzalez and Eric Nothstein, the two leading scorers in Pocono Mountain School District history, and T.J. Lundy, Jon Mangual and Kyerell Scott at PM West. Tynell Fortune is now in that select company.

The standout guard added another accolade to his stellar senior season Monday when he was named to the Pennsylvania Sports Writer's All-State third team. The honor was well deserved for Fortune, who set single-season records for points (521), free throws made (171), free throw attempts (216) and free throw percentage (79.2) in leading the Panthers to their first Mountain Valley Conference title since 2008.

When I was at West last month doing interviews for my story on Fortune being the Pocono Record Player of the Year, I asked Pensyl where Fortune ranked among the best of the best.

"He's certainly been one of the better players who have played here," Pensyl said. "I've had some pretty good players and he certainly ranks with them. I'm not going to say he's the best or who's the best. Kevin Anema is the best shot blocker we ever had. Jon Mangual was the fiercest competitor I ever had, but I'm not going to say who was the best player I ever had. (Fortune) could play though."

Could he ever.

His scoring jumps out at you, but here's another interesting stat. Fortune owns two of the top three single-season marks for assists (his 125 as a junior rank No. 1) and ranks only behind Scott for career assists.

"He was very unselfish," Pensyl said. "I know there are some people out there who don't know anything about basketball will say, 'aw, he's a ball hog,' but he's far from it. He's very unselfish and sometimes to a point where we had to say, 'son, look for your shot a little bit more.' I thought he did a really nice job getting our other players involved. I've had some very good point guards and he certainly ranks up there with them."

And then there's how far Fortune came as a person.

His first year at West was in 2008 after moving into the school district from Harlem, N.Y. His trademark quickness, used to breakdown defenders, came with him, but early on at West Fortune found himself in trouble off the court. That led to a one-on-one with Pensyl, who knew he had ability but frankly told Fortune if he couldn't stay out of trouble there would be no a place for him on his basketball team.

As a sophomore, Fortune started to get his act together and played primarily for the junior varsity team while seeing some spot action on varsity.

He burst onto the scene last year, one that ended with him being named to the All-MVC first team. Losses to Pocono Mountain East in the MVC finals and Whitehall in the quarterfinals of the District 11 Class AAAA tournament served as motivation for Fortune to work harder to make his senior season a memorable one.

From the beginning of the season, teams focused on slowing down Fortune to little avail. He averaged just over 20 points per game, brought a championship back to Pocono Summit and almost carried the Panthers to the PIAA playoffs.

He did it all while growing up into fine a young man, a process that saw him in the spotlight and doing countless interviews the past two seasons. Exuding confidence in himself and his team, Fortune always had something good to say. Never disrespectful, but always honest.

Now, he'll take his game, and magnetic personality, to California of Pennsylvania, where he'll continue to improve on and off the hardwood.

"He's still learning, but I think his growth and not just as a basketball player but emotionally and his attitude have been tremendous the past two years," Pensyl said.

Liberty's Darrun Hilliard has repeated as a Class 4A all-state first team selection. The Associated Press just released the list of honorees late Monday afternoon.

I participated in a statewide conference call of writers last week to help select the team.

Hilliard is The Morning Call's co-player of the after averaging 19.7 points per game.

Showing no letup after committing to a full scholarship offer from Villanova in August, Hilliard registered 573 points. He also had 181 rebounds, 82 assists, 44 steals and 54 3-pointers. He shot 55.3 percent from the field, 75 percent from the line.

Allen senior Jalen Cannon, who shared Morning Call player of the year honors with Hilliard, made the 4A's second team.

Cannon, who, like Hilliard is listed at 6-foot-5, compiled 550 points and 289 rebounds, averaging 19.6 and 10.3 per game. Cannon is headed to St. Francis of Brooklyn.

Central Catholic's Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman became the first freshman from the area to receive all-state honors.

Abdur-Rahkman was a second-team selection in Class 3A.

He averaged 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists per game for the team that won the District 11 3A title. He had 27 3-pointers, 28 steals and 15 blocks.

Pocono Mountain West's Tynell Fortune was a Class 4A third team selection.

Fortune averaged 20 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.3 rebounds. He has accepted an offer from California of Pennsylvania.
Fortune is the first player in the brief history of PM West to be an All-State selection.

Fortune Favors the MVC StarsPM West Senior's double-double leads team to victory over LVC.

By: Michael Blouse, SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL

Tynell Fortune is a relative newcomer to the District 11 basketball scene. But the slight player with the big game thinks he knows how the Mountain Valley Conference is viewed by the coaches, players and fans in the Lehigh Valley.

"They don't respect us," said the talented Pocono Mountain West senior. "And that was all the motivation I needed."

Fortune put on a show during the quadruple-header finale of Saturday's Via All-Star Basketball Classic at Northampton Community College. The 5-foot-9, 145-pound guard scored 35 points and added 10 assists to lead the MVC stars to a 97-82 victory over the LVC East elite.

His performance overshadowed the closing high school basketball chapters for two of the Lehigh Valley's top standouts. Liberty's Darrun Hilliard, who is Villanova-bound, scored 20 points and Nazareth's Chuck Dibilio, who will play football at Princeton, totaled 14.

Ironically, it was a pair of Fortune's LVC buddies who provided most of the motivation.

"My good friends Jalen Cannon and Daquan Holiday [of Allen] texted me after their game and told me we were going to get smacked," Fortune said. "Well, we smacked them instead."

The fast-paced, offensive-friendly format was the perfect stage for Fortune.

Not only did No. 4 fill up the stat sheet, he did it with style — drilling seven 3-pointers, including some from well beyond the arc, and making several acrobatic shots in the lane. Many of his 10 assists went to former Pocono Mountain East rival Lamont Tillery, who scored 22 points.

Fortune plans to continue his basketball career at California (Pa.).

"I was used to playing games like this on the playgrounds in Harlem," said Fortune , who moved into the Pocono Mountain School District during 10th grade. "I was a crowd favorite."

"Tynell's a very good player," said Pocono Mountain West coach Brad Pensyl, who served as an assistant to Pleasant Valley's Ken Piontkowski for the Via game. "He likes this stuff too, the hoopla. If he was three or four inches taller, he'd be a Division I player."

The MVC team used an 11-0 run — Fortune connected on three straight 3-pointers — midway through the first half to open a 10-point lead. The LVC stars closed within 81-79 on Hilliard's dunk with 4:05 left, but Tillery exploded for eight points in a 90-second span to close it out for the MVC.

"We wanted to win," Dibilio said, "but it was more for fun than just trying to win. It was a great time. And when I see Darrun playing on TV in a couple years, I can tell everyone I played in an all-star game with him."

Dibilio also complimented Fortune.

"I was out there thinking, 'will this guy ever miss?' " he said. "He didn't. He went off, and there are nights kids do that and you can't do anything about it."

Additionally, both Fortune and Tillery will represent the Mountain Valley during the Via All-Star Classic at 3:30 p.m. at Northampton Community College on Saturday. The Mountain Valley team will take on the Lehigh Valley East squad.

The Via All-Star Classic selects the best players in the greater Lehigh Valley area. The game is played to raise funds for Via of the Lehigh Valley's programs for adults and children with disabilities.

Tickets for the event are available at the door. $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors. More information is available online at www.ViaNet.org or by calling (484) 893-5389.

__________________________________________________________________

Fortune chosen for The Morning Call District XI first team

MORNING CALL FIRST TEAM

CO-POY - DARRUN HILLIARD & JALEN CANNON

CHUCK DIBILIO

6-2 senior G/F, Nazareth

Averaged 20.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.5 steals per game … Lehigh Valley Conference all-star selection … Repeats as all-area selection … Honesdale Christmas Tournament MVP … Finished with 1,375 career points, third most in school history … Won Via scholarship and was also National Football Foundation Lehigh Valley Chapter scholar-athlete … Will play football at Princeton University … "Beating Allen in the league semis was probably the highlight of the season," he said. "Beating Liberty at home was also memorable. I've played with these guys since sixth grade and I will miss them and basketball.. But I'm just looking forward to Princeton."

MUHAMMAD ALI ABDUR-RAHKMAN

6-3 freshman G, Central Catholic

Averaged 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists per game … Had 27 3-pointers, 28 steals and 15 blocks … The first freshman ever picked as a first-team Lehigh Valley Conference all-star … Often had to guard opponent's best offensive player … Scored 25 points in district title game and 22 and 20 in Central's two state playoff games … "The highlight was winning the district championship," he said. "I thought my season was OK; I could do better. Next year, I'd like to get more of my teammates involved and help get them open shots. Some big schools are already expressing an interest in me, but I am not worried about that right now."

ERIC FRANS

6-8 senior C, Saucon Valley

Averaged 16.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.8 blocks per game …Unanimous Colonial League all-star selection … Scored 30 points in a win over Notre Dame and tallied 21 in the Colonial League title game won by Saucon 65-52 over Salisbury … Finished his career with 905 career points, 715 in the last two seasons … Being recruited by several Division I schools, including New Hampshire … "I am a really humble person, that's what my mother taught me to be, and I think other people deserve to be on the all-area more than me," Frans said. "We were expected to do a lot at Saucon this year, and we went through some ups and downs. The highlight was definitely winning the league championship."

TYNELL FORTUNE

5-9 senior G, Pocono Mountain West

Averaged 20 points, 4.4 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists … Northampton Christmas Tournament all-star selection … Was the MVP in Lehigh Valley Hoop Festival win over Liberty when he scored 23 of his team's 49 points … He was the Mountain Valley Conference MVP as a unanimous selection … He scored 32 points in District 11 4A consolation loss to Pottsville … Shot 40.3 percent from 3-point range and made 50 treys … "For me, the highlight was just getting to play against Darrun Hilliard and Jalen Cannon because they are tremendous athletes," he said. "We wanted to go deeper than we did in the playoffs, but I enjoyed the experience." … Likely to accept an offer from California of Pennsylvania, although University of Tampahas expressed interest.

JAKE HUNGARTER

6-2 senior G, Bethlehem Catholic

Averaged an area-best 22.5 points per game, while chipping in 1.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds … Made 66 3-pointers and shot 85.4 percent from the line … Had a league-record 40 points against Whitehall … Finished career with 1,236 points … First-team Lehigh Valley Conference all-star … Has committed to play for Lehigh Valley Hall of Famer Scott Coval at DeSales … "The 40 points against Whitehall was definitely the highlight of the season; it was just one of those games," he said. "That was one of those games where you feel like all of your hard work paid off. I played AAU ball with guys like Jalen Cannon, Daquan Holiday and those are the best times. I am looking forward to going to DeSales and playing for a winning program."

JAMES MIDDLETON

5-11 junior G, Easton

Averaged 11.4 points, 5.6 assists, 2.8 steals per game … First-team Lehigh Valley Conference all-star … Had 23 points in a win over Becahi and 17 apiece in late-season wins over Nazareth and Liberty … Banked in game-winning 3-pointer to beat Liberty in overtime … "I thought we had a great season, going 20-4 and losing to only two teams — Allen and Liberty — who were the best," Middleton said. "We went out with a bang. Next year, we're going to be a strong with a couple of good players coming back. I think we might be the team to beat. I am not taking any days off. I am working hard and want to come back strong."

ANDY MULITSCH

6-0 senior G, Bangor

Averaged 14.2 points per game, led team in both steals (58) and assists (74) … He had 74 3-pointers in each of the past two seasons, setting and then tying school record … Finished career with 845 points and 181 3-pointers … Was voted the Colonial League MVP … Will continue career at either Moravian or King's. … "Andy developed into a complete player his senior year," Bangor coach Bron Holland said. "When teams attempted to limit his scoring, he set up easy shots for his teammates while playing very good defense. He deserved to be the Colonial League Most Valuable Player and I'm proud of his accomplishments."

KAMALL RICHARDS

6-5 junior G/F, Pocono Mountain East

Averaged 16 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists per game …Also had 37 steals, 23 blocks … Has scored 650 points and grabbed 311 rebounds over the past two seasons … He was a Mountain Valley Conference all-star … "Our season didn't go as planned and we had a lot to improve on," Richards said. "We wanted to get to states and it didn't happen. My goals for next year will be the same as this year and that's to win the league, districts and get to states. I've already had some interest from schools like Seton Hall, St. John's, St. Joe's. I am looking for a real big senior year. I am playing AAU ball for Team Jersey Elite."

JAVIER RIVERA

5-8 senior G, Whitehall

Averaged 17.1 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 steals per game …Shot 50.6 percent from the field and 73 percent from the line … Had 39 3-pointers this season and 61 in his career … Totaled 628 points over the past two seasons … Combined for 43 points in final two games of the seasons, back-to-back wins over Parkland that knocked Trojans out of district playoffs … Will play at Neumann College with Allen's Branden Harrington expected to be one of his teammates … ""Javi was always exceptionally talented," Whitehall coach Jeff Jones said. "However, this year he channeled all of his energy into being a great leader on the court for our team. He made all of the players around him so much better."

LAMONT TILLERY

6-3, senior G/F, Pocono Mountain East

Averaged 13.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists … Had 28 steals, 11 blocks … First team Mountain Valley Conference all-star … Finished career with 684 points and 448 rebounds … Scored 26 points in a loss to York and had 24 to lead team to District 11 playoff win over Emmaus … "The highlight of the season had to be that Emmaus game because we were down a man [Kamall Richards was sick and missed the game] and we came back strong and showed what kind of team we were," Tillery said. "I knew this was my senior season and you never know what game is going to be your last. I played hard. I started slow, but picked it up as the season went on." … Expected to play at East Stroudsburg University.THE NIFTY FIFTY

When Tynell Fortune got to Pocono Mountain West he knew he needed to make some changes and not just to his game.

After moving from Harlem, N.Y., prior to his sophomore year, Fortune caught the eye of Panthers boys basketball coach Brad Pensyl and not just for his play. Fortune had been in some trouble early on at West and Pensyl made it clear about what it would take for Fortune to play for his team.

"Coach Pensyl was talking to me, said he had seen me play, but he told me, 'if you want to be on my team, you've got to stay out of trouble,'" Fortune said. "A lot of people told me he was real tough, but it seemed like he wanted me to change for the better of myself, and see me improve and get better as a human and not just as a basketball player."

It worked out well in both cases.

Fortune had a senior season to remember, setting single-season school records for points (521), free throws made (171) and free throw attempts (215) while helping the Panthers win their first Mountain Valley Conference title since 2008. Combine that with his work in the classroom, and that he has matured and grown as a person, Fortune has schools like California of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, Tampa University and West Chester vying for his services.

"It's a learning process," Pensyl said. "That's why the kids are here. They're here to learn. That's why athletics are so important. I know right now in this day and age there are a lot of people who want to go after athletics because of budgets and things like that, but he's a prime example of what athletics can do for a kid: maturity, discipline, build character."

Fortune is the 2010-2011 Pocono Record boys basketball Player of the Year.

While Fortune worked on his attitude and behavior, he also focused on improving his play on the court.

With no shortage of speed, Fortune used his quickness and aggressive style of play to get by defenders when he played in New York City. Even when Fortune played on the junior varsity team at West as a sophomore he was able to get to the basket at will, but that all changed when he moved up to varsity.

"He was just quicker than everybody and could drive by everybody," Pensyl said. "Then he comes up to varsity and people are sitting off of him and backing into the paint. If he wanted to be a complete player he had to develop a jump shot."

So Fortune went to work.

He hoisted countless amounts of jumpers from everywhere on the court. Over and over and over, Fortune repeated the steps he needed to become the player his team needed him to be.

"It was basically continuous repetition and building confidence," Fortune said. "Confidence is key in any game or sport you play and really in life. If you've got the confidence, everything will work out."

Signs of progress began to show last season.

As a junior, Fortune averaged 15.9 points per game and earned a spot on the All-MVC first team. The work on his jumper was evident with 37 3-pointers, but the aggressive style was still there. He hit 104-of-139 free throws, showing that despite being all of 140 pounds that he would still attack the rim.

"I grew up in a tough area so I had to adjust to a lot of things," Fortune said. "When I first moved out here I had to get accustomed to the rules and disciplinary parts so I could be a better person. It's all just about my mentality towards the game and towards life: go hard or go home."

The Panthers went home early last season, falling in the quarterfinals of the District 11 Class AAAA playoffs a week after a disappointing loss to Pocono Mountain East in the MVC final.

Those losses lit a fire under Fortune, who pledged to work harder than ever to try and help his team win a title.

The hard work showed off early and often this season.

In a two-point loss to eventual district champion Allen in December, Fortune scored a career-high 32 points. He reached double figures in all but two of the 25 games he played in, scored 20 points or more 14 times, hit 50 3s and averaged just over 20 ppg.

"His range is phenomenal," Pensyl said. "I'm not going to corral a kid just because it makes me look good. If the kid can shoot a 25 footer, I'm going to let him shoot it. If the kid can shoot a 30 footer, I'm going to let him shoot it. Why not? I'd be a fool to not let him shoot. I think his range is just incredible. He extended defenses so much."

And it helped open things up for his teammates.

While Fortune was clearly West's No. 1 offensive option, he had no problem getting teammates involved when opponents focused solely on him. Whether it was throwing a lob to Kevin Anema, getting the ball inside to Keon Scott or finding Mike Collins for an open jumper, Fortune thrived on making defenses pay for trying to stop just him.

"I just tried to get my teammates involved because at the end of the day if a team is trying to stop me they can't stop my teammates, too," Fortune said. "It's a plus for us."

From Day 1, Pocono Mountain East and Pocono Mountain West were the favorites in the Mountain Valley Conference.

Both teams combined top-notch talent, role players and experience to put themselves in a position to win the MVC title. The two went head-to-head in a championship game that literally went down to the last possession, with West winning its first conference title since 2008 with a 56-54 victory on Feb. 18.

The two teams met four times all together this year, with Pocono East winning the first game before the Panthers took the final three, including a 56-53 victory in the District 11 Class AAAA quarterfinals on Feb. 26.

The two teams dominate the Pocono Record All-Area first team, taking up four of the five spots.

PM West senior guard Tynell Fortune, the Pocono Record Player of the Year, is joined by senior center Kevin Anema on the first team. Senior forward Lamont Tillery and junior forward Kamall Richards represent Pocono East on the first team. Pleasant Valley's Mike Sharpe rounds out the five-player team.

Here's a closer look at the players on the first team:

Guard

Although diminutive in size, Fortune was a nightmare for opposing defenses all season long. The 5-foot-10, 140-pound blur averaged just over 20 points per game while setting single-season school records for points (521), free throws made (171) and free throw attempts (215). Fortune scored in double figures in all but two of the 26 games he played in, scored 20 or more 14 times and twice went for 32 points.

Forwards

Tillery put the finishing touches on a standout career with his best season. He averaged 14.2 ppg and 8.5 rebounds, and was named to the All-MVC first team for a second straight season. Tillery, also a record-setting wide receiver for the Cardinals' football team, finished his career with 872 points, while averaging just under nine rebounds per game.

A talented swingman with the size of a forward and the shot and ball-handling skills of a guard, Richards averaged a team-high 15.7 ppg to go along with 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals and one block per game. A two-year starter, Richards has 647 and is well within range to become the 12th male in Pocono Mountain School District history to score over 1,000 points.

Sharpe was Mr. Versatility for the Bears. He led the team in scoring at 13.3 ppg, but also did the work on the glass with 5.7 rebounds. Sharpe could also knock down the outside shot, finishing the season with 22 3-pointers. An All-MVC first-team pick, Sharpe helped lead the Bears back to the postseason after a three-year absence.

Center

An imposing figure on the defensive end, Anema was easily the most improved player in the area. The 7-foot senior, who has a number of Division I schools closely monitoring his grades, finished his career as one of the best shot blockers in Pocono West history. Anema wasn't just a force on the defensive end, averaging 8.9 ppg to go along with 14 double-digit scoring performances.

OREFIELD — Pottsville's ability to make its free throws sent the Crimson Tide to the PIAA playoffs. Pocono Mountain West's struggles at the line sent it home.

Third-seeded Pottsville hit 11-of-12 at the foul line in the fourth quarter and overtime, and No. 1 West missed six free throws in the final 12 minutes of play as the Crimson Tide captured a 59-53 victory in the consolation game of the District 11 Class AAAA boys basketball playoffs at Parkland High School on Saturday.

Pottsville (25-2) moves on to face Neshaminy, the fourth-place team out of District 4, in the first round of the state playoffs next Saturday.

For Pocono West (21-6), its season is over and a 10-for-18 performance at the free throw line is a big reason why.

"When you practice them as much as we do it's just excruciating," Panthers coach Brad Pensyl said. "It's a turnover and it's been a problem, and plagued us the entire year. At this time of year that's when you can't have that stuff and that's when it sticks its ugly head out."

Through three quarters the foul line was a non-factor for both teams.

Pottsville attempted two free throws, hitting both, while West was 3-for-5 in the first 24 minutes. But in the fourth quarter and overtime the Crimson Tide missed just once, with leading scorer Nick Schlitzer hitting 10-of-10. Schlitzer finished with 30 points, nearly 10 more than his scoring average.

"He made his foul shots," Pensyl said. "He's making and we're missing. That's it in a nutshell."

The Crimson Tide also used their range to get back in the game.

Trailing by 10 after Keon Scott hit 1-of-2 at the line with 7:41 left in the fourth quarter, Pottsville went on an 16-8 run sparked by two 3-pointers from Tyler Heffner and one by Schlitzer to cut the deficit to 42-40 with 2:57 to go. During the run West missed all four of its free throw attempts.

"We go to the line, miss two and they come down and hit a 3," Pensyl said. "We make foul shots and the game is over. We win that game by double digits."

Four free throws by Schlitzer in the final 1:54 sent the game to overtime.

West got off to a quick start in extra session, with Tynell Fortune scoring five of his game-high 32 points to help the Panthers get a 49-46 lead, but it was all Pottsville after that.

The Crimson Tide ripped off 10 straight points, with Schlitzer going 4-for-4 at the line to go with his fourth 3 of the game, to take a 56-49 lead with 53 seconds left. Fortune's three-point play pulled West to within four and a Pottsville turnover in the back court gave the Panthers the ball, but Schlizter collected a West miss — his game-high 13th rebound — to snuff out the rally.

"Obviously we're very disappointed," Pensyl said. "There are a lot of teams sitting at home watching that game, watching us try to get to the state playoffs. I guess you go back to the drawing board and try to make it happen again next year. That's what you do. Either that or you quit. You give up and don't try anymore."

West falls to Allen in Semis By Joe Miegoc
Record Sports Writer
March 03, 2011

OREFIELD — Jalen Cannon lived up to his nickname and
Allen shot its way through every Pocono Mountain West
rally.

Cannon scored 14 points and grabbed 21 rebounds, and the fourth-seeded Canaries hit seven 3-pointers to capture a 59-49 victory over the top-seeded Panthers in the semifinals of the District 11 Class AAAA boys basketball playoffs at Parkland High School on Wednesday.

Allen (21-4) qualified for the PIAA playoffs with the victory and meet No. 2 Liberty, a 41-30 winner over No.3 Pottsville in Wednesday's other semifinal, for the district title at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Parkland. The Panthers (21-5) can play their way into the state tournament by beating Pottsville in Saturday's 1 p.m. consolation game at Parkland.

"There is going to be 32 teams left after Saturday," Pocono West coach Brad Pensyl said. "Do we want to be one of those 32?"

Allen will be and Cannon's fierce inside play is a big reason why.

The 6-foot-6 senior was a man possessed under the basket, grabbing 11 rebounds in each half and scoring eight points thanks to offensive rebounds.

"They call me double-double," Cannon said. "I try to be like (Minnesota Timberwolves forward) Kevin Love and get every single rebound that I can."

Cannon didn't have to do much rebounding when the Canaries shot from deep.

Allen hit seven shots from behind the 3-point line throughout the game, none bigger than D.J. Brown's 3 from the corner as time expired in the third quarter to put Allen up 43-41 with eight minutes to play. When the Canaries beat Pocono West on Dec. 14, they used the 3 to do it, hitting 10 from long range to rally from 16 points down in the second half.

"They'd bounce back and hit a 3," Pensyl said. "I don't even know what to say to that."

From the looks of things early on, it didn't look like the Canaries would need to bounce back from much.

Allen stormed out of the gate and led 26-11 after Brown's putback with 4:50 left in the second quarter. West answered with a 14-5 run to cut the deficit to five after Tynell Fortune's layup with 1:24 to go, but Allen got another 3, this time from Branden Harrington, to go into the locker room up 36-27.

The Panthers didn't go quietly, with Fortune leading the comeback.

Fortune, West's sparkplug all season long, hit two long 3s in the second quarter as the Panthers mounted a charge. Mike Collins' steal and layup gave West its only lead, at 41-40 with 15 seconds left in the third quarter, only to watch Allen retake the lead for good on Brown's 3.

"I knew we'd bounce back," Pensyl said. "The game certainly wasn't over at that point (when Allen led 26-11). I told the kids there are no nine-point plays or 15-point plays. We had to keep working."

Allen put in the work in the fourth quarter to make life for West and Fortune miserable.

With Robert Rodriguez drapped all over Fortune, the senior was unable to score any points in the final 8 minutes. Fortune was 0-for-4 in the fourth and West struggled to get any offensive rhythm.

"They disrupted our offense and were overplaying (Fortune)," Pensyl said. "It's easy to sit there and dissect things, but when you play 25 games you have to do what you do well and it's hard to make in-game adjustments when you've run things the entire year like that.

"Basically, they were playing a box-and-one and we were having trouble getting into our offense."

Pocono Mountain West knows it can play with Allen, but can the Panthers beat the Canaries? They'll find out tonight.

Top-seeded Pocono West meets No. 4 Allen in the semifinals of the District 11 Class AAAA boys basketball playoffs at 7:30 p.m. at Parkland High School. Second-seeded Liberty, the defending district champion, plays No. 3 Pottsville in the first semifinal at 6 p.m.

The game will be a rematch from a December meeting when Allen rallied from a 16-point second half deficit to steal a 61-59 victory in Pocono Summit. The two teams also tangled last summer in the Stellar Construction Catch a Rising Star Showcase final at Cedar Beach in Allentown with the Canaries earning a 55-52 victory.

"(Allen is) very good inside," Pocono West coach Brad Pensyl said Saturday after watching his team beat rival Pocono Mountain East in the district quarterfinals. "They have two real good big kids inside. They're solid. They're a good team. Everybody left now is a good team. There's nobody left now that isn't good."

The Panthers have proved they're in that class all season long.

Pocono West didn't let a three-point loss to Easton in the season opener or the two-point loss to Allen stop it from reaching its goals. Led by standout guard Tynell Fortune, the MVP of the Mountain Valley Conference, and a solid nucleus in guards Mike Collins and Quindell Brice, forwards Ty Dixon and Keon Scott and 7-foot center Kevin Anema, the Panthers have won 11 straight games and are peaking at the right time.

"I just think we're playing pretty well right now," Pensyl said. "This is a pretty good basketball team I have and it's probably one of the better teams I have coached. They certainly have an opportunity to win a district championship."

To do so Pocono West will first have to go through a stout Allen squad.

Led by 6-foot-6 senior center Jalen Cannon, who is averaging 20.5 points per game and was the MVP at Cedar Beach, the Canaries shook off a loss to Nazareth in the Lehigh Valley Conference semifinals by dispatching of Easton on Saturday.

A victory doesn't just give the winner a shot at a district title. A berth in the PIAA playoffs is at stake, too, with the loser forced to fight it out in the consolation game for District 11's final spot in the state tournament.

"We win one we're going to the state playoffs and if we win two we're district champs," Pensyl said. "We're going to be ready to play. We've been prepared for this entire playoff run. We're well rested and they're playing together, they like each other and they're playing hard. You can't ask for more than that. Play hard and let it all hang out, and that's what they're doing."

Points of interest: Fortune scored a career-high 32 points in the loss to Allen on Dec. 14. ... Cannon (St. Francis in Brooklyn) and Holiday (New Jersey Institute of Technology) are both headed to Division I schools. ... Scott has scored in double figures in the last four games. ... Snyder led the Canaries to the district title in 2006. ... A Pensyl coached team has never missed the district playoffs. He led Pocono Mountain to 13 appearances, and a spot in the 1995 final, and has guided Pocono West to the postseason in all nine years the school has existed, including a finals appearance in 2008.

EAST STROUDSBURG — Pocono Mountain West proved it
is the best team in the Poconos. Now the Panthers get a
shot to show District 11 what they have.

Tynell Fortune scored 19 points, top-seeded Pocono West
made its free throws in the fourth quarter and the Panthers
came out with a 56-53 victory over No. 9 Pocono Mountain

East in the quarterfinals of the D-11 Class AAAA playoffs at East Stroudsburg South on Saturday.

The Panthers (21-4), who beat the Cardinals for a third time in four meetings and a third straight time, move on to face No. 4 Allen, 48-36 winners over No. 5 Easton in another quarterfinal Saturday, in the semifinals at a site to be determined Wednesday. A victory there would guarantee Pocono West a spot in the PIAA playoffs for the second time in four years.

"Not many teams get this opportunity," PM West coach Brad Pensyl said. "We're getting the opportunity to move on and who knows, if we win one we're in the state playoffs and if we win two we're district champs."

To get that shot the Panthers had to go through the Cardinals (17-9) again.

PM West had won the last two meetings, including last Friday's Mountain Valley Conference title game at East Stroudsburg University. Like the first three, this one went down to the wire with the Panthers out front for much of the second half.

Pocono East led 24-21 at halftime despite leading scorer Kamall Richards stationed on the bench for the final 7:21 of the second quarter with three fouls. The Panthers came out of the locker room with a purpose, running off a 13-2 run to gain a 36-28 lead with 2:15 left in the third.

"We made some adjustments at halftime and what we tried to do to them defensively obviously worked," said Pensyl, whose Panthers held East to just seven points in the third quarter. "And then we got that run."

It was some off-the-court practice that got the Panthers even more charged for a game with plenty of emotion.

Pocono West read the comments East coach Patrick Heaton made when he promised the Morning Call that he'd be seeing them next week at the district semifinals. The Panthers took that to heart.

"The difference was the comments that their coach made," Fortune said. "It fired us up and it made us even more ready to play."

It was the Panthers' play in the fourth quarter that made the biggest difference.

Pocono West fought off every Cardinals' charge, hit 10-of-18 at the line and were able to break East's press on numerous occasions to get easy buckets.

"(Pocono East) is very aggressive and once we got in the double bonus we were going to do what we do very well which is spread them out and attack them," Pensyl said. "If they want to foul and put us on the line, we'll have to make them and we did."

And now the Panthers get a shot at the title they've coveted since Day 1.

"I'm looking forward to it and I'm trying to get this district championship to Pocono Mountain West," Fortune said.

Just over a week after going head-to-head for the Mountain Valley Conference title, top-seeded Pocono Mountain West and No. 9 Pocono Mountain East meet again in the quarterfinals of the District 11 Class AAAA boys basketball playoffs at East Stroudsburg South tonight.

The Panthers (20-4) edged the Cardinals last Friday, holding on for a 56-54 victory to win their first MVC title since 2008. It was the third time the two schools played this season, with Pocono East (17-8) taking the first meeting before falling in the next two.

East rallied to beat eighth-seeded Emmaus in the first round of districts Wednesday, winning 53-49 without the services of leading scorer Kamall Richards, who missed the game with the flu. It would be hard to envision Richards not at least giving it a go tonight in a game that could put the Cardinals in the district semifinals for the third straight year.

PM West goes into tonight's game riding a 10-game winning streak. The Panthers haven't lost since a 73-67 setback to Plainfield (N.J.) on Jan. 22, the second of two straight losses with the first coming to Pocono East three days earlier.

In other district basketball action, No. 4 Notre Dame of East Stroudsburg meets fifth-seeded Moravian Academy in the Class A girls playoffs at ES South. The two teams split their regular-season meetings.

Points of interest: Fortune holds single-season school records for points (454), free throws made (147) and free throw percentage (79.5). ... After scoring in double figures twice in the first five games, Tillery has hit double figures in 18 of the past 20. ... A win by the Panthers would put them in the district semis for the first time since 2008 when they fell in the championship game._____________________________________________________________________________________________

PM West earns top-seed for District XI tournament

2.19.2011

Mountain Valley Conference boys basketball champion Pocono Mountain West earned the top seed for the District 11 Class AAAA playoffs, which start Wednesday.

The Panthers get a first-round bye and will meet the winner of No. 9 Pocono Mountain East at No. 8 Emmaus, which play at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, in the quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m. at East Stroudsburg South next Saturday.

Top-seeded Pocono Mountain West played smothering
defense for three quarters and then weathered a
furious storm from No. 2 Pocono Mountian East to hold
on for a 56-54 victory in the Mountain Valley
Conference boys championship game at East
Stroudsburg University's Koehler Fieldhouse on Friday
night.

After Ty Dixon's 3-pointer as the third-quarter clock expired gave the Panthers (20-4) a 13-point lead, it seemed like Pocono West would be taking home the championship trophy for the first time since 2008. The Cardinals, the defending MVC champions, weren't going to let it go without a fight.

"They're a really good team and we know we had to play tough and have a lot of mental toughness to win this game," Pocono West senior Tynell Fortune said.

Pocono East (16-8) made its charge in the fourth quarter behind some clutch shooting from David Garcia, along with better defense that forced West into six of its 14 turnovers in the game.

Three free throws by Lamont Tillery, who was fouled on a 3-point attempt, with 8 seconds remaining pulled East to within two and Kamall Richards stole the Panthers' inbounds pass. Richards pulled up at the top of the key, but his 3 went long and Tim Pacheco's follow shot was blocked to set off a raucous celebration by West and its fans.

"I've lost some like that," Pocono West coach Brad Pensyl said. "I guess when you stay in coaching long enough, it turns around, you get lucky once in a while. (Richards) had a good look."

Luck had nothing to do with what the Panthers did the first three quarters.

West constantly hounded the Cardinals throughout the first 24 minutes, forcing East into 17 turnovers and holding the Cardinals to just 31 points.

"We practiced hard all week preparing for them knowing we'd see them in the championship game," said Fortune, who scored a game-high 19 points on a night when he was awarded the MVC MVP award. "We weren't going to change anything though because what got us here got us here."

Pocono East's offense woke up in the fourth quarter, helping the Cardinals make the rivalry even more intense than it was coming in.

Garcia's second 3 of the quarter with 2:31 left cut West's lead to 50-46 and the Cards had all the momentum. Kevin Anema scored off a lob from Fortune, but Richards' runner pulled East to within four.

Dixon hit 4-of-6 at the line to put West up 56-51 with 33 seconds to go, but Tillery was fouled on a 3 from the corner and sank all three free throw shots to make it two-point game.

"They were resilient and didn't give up, that's for sure," PM East coach Patrick Heaton said. "I don't know what else to say. They made the plays and I thought we had a chance at the end."

But it wasn't too be as West's fans stormed the court when the final buzzer sounded.

The Mountain Valley Conference championship doubleheader — Pocono Mountain West vs. Pleasant Valley in the girls and Pocono West vs. Pocono East in the boys — has been moved to East Stroudsburg University.

Great move by the league because playing these games in a college facility should add to the atmosphere.

There are some very large and well-maintained gyms in that league, just as there are in the Lehigh Valley, but it was difficult finding a neutral site that is important. Ultimately, the MVC, with a big assist from ESU, did the right thing.

"I can't get involved in everything that went into this decision, but I think it's good for the league," said Pocono West boys coach and athletic director Brad Pensyl. "I think it was a smart decision. A lot of different options were considered, but East Stroudsburg University couldn't have been more generous.

"They're not going to milk us for a lot of money. They were great, they really were. As a league, we are very appreciative and think it's going to be a great night of basketball. I know our school is excited."

Pocono West and Pocono East split their two regular-season meetings, and this game rates as a tossup.

The Cardinals beat the Panthers in last year's league final and Pensyl hasn't forgotten.

"We were very disappointed last year," he said. "We just didn't play well enough. Defense is definitely the key, not offense. They have two very talented players [Lamont Tillery and Kamall Richards], and we're going to have to do our best to contain them. If we don't, we're going to be in trouble."

With a win, Pocono West would secure the top seed for what is going to be one of the best District 11 4A fields ever assembled.

You have the big five from the LVC — Easton, Allen, Liberty, Nazareth and Emmaus — joining with some talented MVC members. Throw in Bangor from the Colonial League and Pottsville from the Schuylkill League and you are going to eight tremendous games from the quarterfinals right through the consolation round.

Among the quarterfinal matchups that already seem set is Allen vs. Easton.

Clearly, there will be no gimmes.

"It's going to be something else," Pensyl said. "The seeds don't really matter. You're going to have to beat three quality opponents to win that thing. But right now, we want to win the league. That's always our first goal, and we're going to try our best tonight."

POCONO SUMMIT — Pocono Mountain East survived another Stroudsburg test to earn a shot at defending its conference title.

Lamont Tillery scored 19 points, giving Stroudsburg fits all game long, and the second-seeded Cardinals weathered every charge from the No. 3 Mounties in a 59-52 victory in the semifinals of the Mountain Valley Conference boys basketball tournament at Pocono Mountain West on Wednesday.

Pocono East (16-7) meets No. 1 PM West, a 65-58 winner over No. 4 Pleasant Valley in the other semifinal, in the championship game at 8 p.m. Friday. The site of the game is undetermined, but could be at East Stroudsburg University. The superintendents of the MVC schools will talk this morning to decide.

Wherever the title game is played it should be a classic.

The Panthers (19-4) and Cardinals split the two regular-season meetings, with West winning the latest tilt last Friday. The two schools met for the championship last season with Pocono East coming out on top. A championship, and not necessarily who the Cardinals have to go through, is what's on the PM East's mind the most.

"We're the defending champs and it's going to be a battle no matter who we play," said Tillery, whose 3-pointer as time expired in the first half put East up 34-22, its largest lead of the game.

It didn't come easy for the Cards though.

After beating Stroudsburg by just four points earlier this month, East had its hands full with the Mounties for much of the game. There were eight lead changes and three ties in the first half and Stroudsburg was able to cut the deficit to just four points twice in the second half, with Kai Ahmad's layup with 5:57 left in the fourth quarter making the score 43-39.

"They always battle and (Stroudsburg coach) Shawn (Thornton) does a great job there," PM East coach Patrick Heaton said. "Look where they came from (the Mounties started the season 0-6). You have to give a lot of credit to that team. They gave us everything we could handle (Wednesday)."

But the Cards were able to hold on thanks to consecutive scores from in close and two free throws late by Kamall Richards (23 points).

It was Tillery who was a beast early, scoring 14 of his 19 points in the opening half. Throughout the first 16 minutes the Mounties had five different players defending Tillery, but to no avail.

"I didn't think too much about that," Tillery said. "I just went out and played basketball."

Both Pocono West and Pleasant Valley (11-12) did that very well in the second game.

The Bears came out with a ton of energy in the first half, forcing West into nine turnovers while staying tied with the top seed at 20-20 at the break.

The lead changed hands five times in the first 2:37 of the third quarter, but after that West put its foot on the gas and slowly pulled away from PV. Ty Dixon played well in a starting role, scoring 11 points to go with a game-high 13 rebounds including seven offensive.

"We just had to play harder than them," Dixon said. "They came out with a lot of energy and we just had to match that intensity."

The Panthers were able to do that despite PV's efforts to slow down star Pocono West guard Tynell Fortune.

Coming in averaging over 20 points per game, Fortune was continuously hounded on the perimeter throughout the game, but other Panthers made the Bears pay. Kevin Anema had 12 points, all in the second half, including three dunks in the fourth quarter during an 11-2 run that put West up 52-42 with 4:23 to go. Keon Scott chipped in 10 points to go along with seven rebounds, while Jon Amoroso and Quindell Brice both played well off the bench.

"I thought a lot of kids played real well," PM West coach Brad Pensyl said. "This is not a one-man team. This is the fourth or fifth time we've seen a box and one and it's the fourth of fifth time we've beaten a box and one. If they want to beat up Tynell Fortune on the perimeter, which I'm not saying is a bad move, that's fine. It doesn't seem to be working because we've seen like five times and have won every game."

POCONO SUMMIT — Watch Tynell Fortune play and there's one word that comes
to mind over and over and over — aggressive.

Pocono Mountain West's senior guard has no fear and it's vital to what he does
best a big part of his game. Be it a bruising forward or towering center guarding
the lane, Fortune will still take the ball to the basket. It's a big reason why he has
170 free throw attempts this season.

But don't give him too much room on the perimeter or he'll make teams pay. Fortune has 78 3-pointers over the past three seasons.

"I look for my jumpshot first, but I know a lot of teams like to put pressure on me on the perimeter so I just try to attack the basket and create for my teammates," said Fortune, who has already eclipsed single-season school records for points (424) and made free throws (134) with more opportunties coming to expand those totals.

And when it comes to his standout point guard, veteran Panthers coach Brad Pensyl doesn't mince words.

"In my opinion he's the best point guard in District 11," said Pensyl, whose top-seeded Panthers (18-4) meet No. 4 Pleasant Valley in the semifinals of the Mountain Valley Conference tournament at Pocono Mountain West on Wednesday.

But getting to the line is only half the battle.

Fortune has hit on nearly 79 percent of his free throws (134-for-170), including a 15-for-16 performance in a victory over Allen two weeks ago and a 15-for-15 mark in a victory over Stroudsburg on Monday. Fortune made 104-of-139 attempts as a junior last year.

"Our coach preaches to us that making free throws wins big games and championships," Fortune said. "I just work hard because he makes us shoot a ton of free throws, which prepares us well. I thank my coach for that."

So when Pocono West has the lead late in the game and a team has to foul to stop the clock there's little doubt who the Panthers will be looking for.

"At the end of the game if a team has to foul us to get the ball back the ball will be in his hands," Pensyl said.

Doing what Fortune does so well, and there's plenty, is a direct result of using his biggest assets.

There aren't many players who can go from one end of the court to the other faster than Fortune, but it's not something he's taken for granted.

"I try to use my speed and quickness to my advantage because I know a lot of people don't work as hard as me on quickness and agility," said Fortune, who is averaging 20.2 points per game and has topped 20 points 13 times this season. "I just try to use what I work on."

Pocono Mountain West tops East in boys basketball,
but now waits for seed

By: Joe Miegoc
Record Sports Writer
2.12.2011

POCONO SUMMIT — Pocono Mountain West did its job. Now the Panthers must
wait.

Kevin Anema finished one block short of a triple-double and Tynell Fortune set
the single-season scoring record as the Panthers earned a 57-49 victory over
Pocono Mountain East in Mountain Valley Conference boys basketball Friday.

The victory puts the Panthers (18-4, 11-1 MVC) and Cardinals (15-6, 11-1), who split their regular-season meetings, in a tie for first in the conference with the MVC playoffs looming next week.

If Pocono East can beat Allen tonight it will earn the top seed based on record against common opponents. A loss by the Cards will make PM West the No. 1 seed based on a better District 11 rating.

"Either way it really doesn't matter," Cardinals coach Patrick Heaton said. "The No. 1 seed has never won (the MVC tournament) so I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

The Panthers did little bad in a game they had to have.

Anema was a presence inside, blocking nine shots to go along with 13 points and 15 rebounds. After sitting the final 4:16 of the first half with three fouls, the 7-foot senior was able to play in control in the third and fourth quarter, repeatedly blocking or altering Pocono East shots.

"It was really hard at first because I wasn't quite sure what to do," Anema said. "Then I got myself in good position to get the rebounds and cut off baseline and did what I had to do."

West needed the energetic Fortune to help seal the victory.

The Panthers led by as much as 10 after Fortune's jumper put them up 54-44 with 1:23 to go, but the Cardinals wouldn't go away. Kamall Richards hit two free throws and Lamont Tillery hit one of two at the line and then scored on a putback to cut the Panthers lead to six. But there was Fortune, doing what he does best, attacking the basket to get himself to the foul line, where he hit 11-of-15 for the game, and put the final nail in on an uncontested layup with 15 seconds left for the final margin.

"I know I had to come through in the crunch there," said Fortune, who finished the game with 21 points. That gave him 424 for the season, breaking the mark owned by Jon Mangual, who scored 417 in the Panthers' run to the PIAA Sweet 16 in 2008.

Another big part of the victory was what the Panthers were able to do inside.

The last time these two met, a 68-59 victory by the Cardinals on Jan. 19, Pocono East controlled the middle. This time around it was Pocono West winning the battle inside, 51-39.

"The first time they played us they hammered us on the boards and I thought they were clearly the more aggressive team," said Panthers coach Brad Pensyl, who picked up career victory No. 401. "I thought Kevin and Keon (Scott) played real well inside and Ty Dixon did a good job, too, for us on the boards. That was key. I mean you've got to rebound, you've got to rebound the basketball. If you don't you're going to get beat."

Now all that's left to do for West is to see how PM East fares against Allen.

Brad Pensyl admits that he has changed since he first got into coaching.

"Like a lot of young coaches just getting started, I used to think it was about me," he said. "But now I realize it's about the kids."

Pensyl, a former 1,000-point scorer at Bangor, where he played for his father and coaching legend Bill Pensyl, has carved out his own niche as one of the area's top leaders.

In 22 seasons at Pocono Mountain High School and Pocono Mountain West, Pensyl has never missed the district tournament.

He's four wins away from becoming the 10th coach in District 11 boys basketball history to win 400 games, joining a select group of mentors that includes his father.

"That's nice, but I don't really worry about that stuff," the 50-year-old Pensyl said. "I've learned to check my ego at the door."

He started as a JV coach at Pen Argyl with Dwight Repsher in 1982. At one time, he was coaching the seventh and eighth grade team at Pius X while also coaching the junior varsity team at Bangor.

He has had a lot of coaching influences over the years, including Lehigh Valley legends like John Donmoyer, Ron Hassler and Jim Hutnik.

But no one had a larger influence on him than his father, who went 449-433 in 38 seasons at Bangor.

"I thought my dad was a great practice coach," Brad said. "You have some coaches who are great game coaches and some are great practice coaches and I thought my father did a great job of always preparing his teams. He had his teams ready to play.

"Back then he did a lot of the scouting by himself. Now, we get a lot of tape on each team, but back then, he went and watched a lot of games when Bangor wasn't playing just to prepare."

Coaching at Pocono Mountain West, however, offers more challenges than making sure X's and O's are understood.

Just like Doug Snyder at Allen, Pensyl knows his role goes deeper then winning basketball games.

In a larger sense, he's saving lives or at least giving kids a chance to succeed.

Like many Lehigh Valley school districts, the Pocono Mountain district has seen vast change over the years.

An influx of kids from New York City has brought talent westbound on Interstate 80, but that talent often comes with less than ideal family backgrounds that can put a burden on teachers and coaches.

Pensyl, though, relishes the challenge.

"We have things to deal with here on a daily basis that most people can't fathom," he said. "Don't get me wrong, we also have great kids. But there are some where just getting them to school each day is a miracle. Our kids here lean heavily on us because in many cases we're all they have.

"We're fighting different battles here from many other schools and sometimes we have to pick and choose what battles we're going to fight. These kids, a lot of them are from the city. One of our best players right now is Tynell Fortune and he's from Harlem. These kids face a great many obstacles in their lives, and they don't need me to be another one."

Still, Pensyl is an old school guy and that means he is not going to cut slack for kids just because they're gifted on the court.

"The rules don't change," he said. "I don't care if it's the district title game or an independent game against the worst team in the country. I will suspend kids if it's warranted. You have to follow the rules and if you don't, there are consequences. It's the same way in life.

"We have a lot of kids walking our hallways who are good basketball players. They have the talent to be starting for me, but they're not on the team because they're not willing to follow rules. I'd rather go 14-8 with kids who follow the rules than go 22-0 and win a championship with kids who don't. My job is to teach more than basketball; it's to teach life lessons."

Pensyl, who has battled a few health problems in recent years, doesn't know how much longer he'll coach.

He has had some loyal assistants, such as Liberty grad Mike DelGrosso, with him for many years and he said, "I'd like them to get the opportunity to coach."

But Pensyl still enjoys the game and the challenge of shaping lives through basketball.

"It's still a lot of fun to me," he said. "When I walk into a gym and it's not fun, I'll know it's time to go. My family wants me to keep coaching, too. I don't know if I could coach anywhere else. I wouldn't want to trade jobs with anybody. This is where I want to be, even with the challenges we face."

Speaking of challenges, Pensyl is looking forward to the upcoming District 11 4A tournament, which should be loaded with strong teams.

"Having never won a district championship, sure, I'd love to win one," he said. "To win it this year considering the competition would be great. But I don't measure myself by championships the way some other people do. Coaching here, you realize there are more important things."

Good Fortune leads Pocono West to win over Liberty Fortune outduels Liberty's 'Money' in Showcase finaleBy: Keith Groller, OF THE MORNING CALL
January 30, 2011

The last time Liberty played in the Lehigh Valley Hoop Group Showcase, the Hurricanes were victimized by a record-setting 38-point performance by then Emmaus senior Brian Hunter in 2007.

In its return to the 16th annual boys basketball event on Sunday night, Liberty ran smack into another terrific offensive performance.

Pocono Mountain West's Tynell Fortune didn't drain six 3-pointers like Hunter did four years ago, but his 23-point effort in a 49-45 victory over the Hurricanes was just as impressive.

The Panthers senior guard went 15-for-16 at the foul line, including 9-for-10 in the fourth quarter, as Pocono West held off Liberty for its most notable win of the season.

"We feel good about this one," said Brad Pensyl, the Panthers coach. "We had 12 previous wins, and every one had been by double digits. But we hadn't beaten what you'd call a marquee school. Every time we faced good competition, we came up short. Those are our four losses. So, to come down here and play pretty well, it feels good."

No one felt better than Fortune.

He is a slithery 5-foot-10 point man who flies up and down the floor and gets to the basket in a hurry.

If Fortune wasn't taking it to the rim himself, he was finding his teammates for open looks.

"The key is to get my teammates involved and then they will set me up for open shots and good situations," Fortune said.

He had just four field goals in the game and only one in the fourth quarter, but it came at a critical time.

Liberty (13-3) had roared back from a 36-28 deficit after three quarters to pull even at 40 with 3:34 left on a slam dunk by Darrun Hilliard off an alley-oop pass by Izel Dickerson.

While the crowd was still reacting to the "Money" moment, Fortune took the ball down the floor and answered with a drive to the basket.

Pocono West would never look back.

"Darrun Hilliard's a great player and I just try to match his intensity," Fortune said. "He leads his team, and I know I have to lead mine. When I saw him make that play and the momentum changed, I just had to change it right back."

Fortune then made four straight foul shots to make it 46-40 before Liberty made one last charge.

Hilliard converted a three-point play off a Dickerson feed and then scored inside off an Alex Akabogu assist to make it 48-45 with a minute left.

Pocono West turned it over and Liberty had one chance to tie it.

Chevon Williams, a sophomore getting extended minutes due in part to the absence of normal starter Alewdy Rivera, who was being disciplined for missing a practice, couldn't hit a 3-point shot and Dante Holmes and Hilliard missed tap-in attempts.

Fortune came away with the rebound and made it one of two at line to seal it.

"This shows that we can beat good teams and we'll be in the mix at districts," Fortune said. "I'm looking forward to competing for the championship and maybe seeing them again."

Hilliard scored 18 points and had five assists and eight rebounds in earning Liberty's MVP award.

But any accolades for the Hurricanes this weekend seem hollow because after winning 11 straight, the Hurricanes have dropped two straight. They followed Friday's wobbly 62-53 loss at Nazareth with an even more inconsistent offensive performance.

After being ranked No. 3 in the state last week, they could slide all the way out of the top 10.

At the moment, that's the least of coach Chad Landis' concerns.

"I don't think we really played until the fourth quarter and I am not sure why," Landis said. "I don't know if it's the Sunday night game, a hangover, whatever. I don't know if we were just content being where we're at, but we better not be now. We're going to find out a lot about our guys in the next three or four days."

Landis found out all he needs to know about Fortune and Pocono West.

"Give Pocono West credit because their pressure got to us early and then they made enough plays down the stretch," he said. "I thought Izel Dickerson, Chevon Williams and Devon Jones did a good job defending Fortune, but he kept the ball away from us and then he didn't miss at the foul line."

Pensyl said he liked the way his team responded to Liberty's challenge.

"We were up eight, it got away from us, and then we battled back," Pensyl said. "I thought we played pretty smart at the end of the game. We know we can compete with the teams down here. I think teams down here respect us and don't take us lightly. Taking us lightly would be a mistake."_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Fortune's 16 leads Panthers past Cavaliers in MVC action

1.28.2011

EAST STROUDSBURG — Tynell Fortune scored a game-high 16 points as Pocono Mountain West cruised to a 66-35 win over East Stroudsburg South in MVC boys basketball Friday night.

POCONO SUMMIT — Jon Amoroso's 10 points led the way as Pocono Mountain West got points from 13 players in a 69-38 victory over East Stroudsburg North in Mountain Valley Conference boys basketball Tuesday night.

PLAINFIELD – Balance. It is what every coach in every sport stresses to his team before every practice. Saturday the Plainfield Cardinals boys displayed balance as Sekou Harris led five players in double figures during their 73-67 victory over Pocono Mountain West (PMW) at Plainfield High School.

Harris scored 21 points, including 11-12 from the line in the fourth quarter, as Plainfield stretched the lead after three close quarters of basketball.

Plainfield (10-4) built a six-point first quarter lead behind a 20-9 run sparked by back-to-back treys by Harris and Allen Brown.The lead swelled to 13 as Plainfield opened the second quarter with a 7-0 spurt. After a timeout, PMW (10-4) went on a 19-8 half closing run.

Dii ‘Jon Allen-Jordan and Jahmal Lane began working down low against PMW 7-footer Kevin Anema. The play of the duo helped Plainfield build an eight-point lead before the sharp shooting Tynell Fortune connected from behind the arc. Keon Scott entered the game for PMW and battled down low and helped hold Plainfield to a two-point edge entering the final period.

An Allen Brown pull up jumper and a reverse layup by Lane gave Plainfield enough of a cushion that PMW started fouling and Harris cemented the win from the line.

Players of the Game:

Plainfield - Sekou Harris scored a team high 21 points and sealed the game from the foul line. Justin Sears grabbed a game high 17 rebounds and Dii ‘Jon Allen-Jordan blocked five shots.

SWIFTWATER — Act I went to Pocono Mountian East. There will be plenty more to come.

Kamal Richards led the way with 21 points and Lamont Tillery had a double-double as the Cardinals earned a 68-59 victory over archrival Pocono Mountain West in a Mountain Valley Conference boys basketball game Wednesday night.

The Cardinals (9-4, 5-0 MVC), the defending conference champions, trailed by two after the first quarter, but saw Tillery's toughness and some tenacious defense rally them.

"I like the middle because it's a physical game, it's just like football," said Tillery, a record-setting wide receiver for the Cardinals. "You know it's going to be physical in there. You either have to be strong or don't come in there."

Richards was able to do a little of everything.

The talented junior wing scored from in close, hit two 3-pointers and also pulled down six rebounds, blocked two shots and had two steals. His layup at the buzzer gave East a 28-26 lead going into halftime.

"We knew we had to come in and play hard," Richards said. "We work for this game all year really. It's one of the most important games to us because it's our rival."

East also took advantage of some misfortune for West (10-3, 5-1).

With 6:28 left in the third quarter, Panthers guard Tynell Fortune picked up his fourth foul and was forced to watch the game from the bench for most of the third. He managed 16 points, about four below his average, but it certainly made life easier for the Cardinals with Fortune out of action.

"Foul trouble might have limited him more than we did, but we tried to just contain him," PM East coach Patrick Heaton said. "He's a terrific player and we didn't want him to get to the basket at will. Our guys did a good job of making him go places he didn't want to go, but that's tonight. We'll see what happens later."

There will be a later between these two teams.

They'll face each other again on Feb. 11, and as things sit now they'd be the top two seeds in the MVC playoffs.

"In actuality this means no more than losing to Lehighton or East Stroudsburg South or Stroudsburg, we don't have halves anymore," PM West coach Brad Pensyl said about the previous way to determine a MVC champion. "Obviously because the game is a rivalry the kids want to win it and I understand that and I appreciate that, but I'm not going to get all caught up in the East-West stuff.

NORTHAMPTON - The Panthers used a 27-12 second quarter to pull away from Dieruff and post a 93-53 win for a fourth straight Northampton tournament championship. Tynell Fortune scored 26 points (46 total for the tourney), hit four 3-pointers and was awarded the tournament's most valuable player. Keon Scott and Mike Collins were named to the all-tournament team.

NORTHAMPTON - The Pocono Mountain West and Dieruff boys basketball
teams both have District 11 aspirations, but with different twists.

The Panthers believe they can be good enough to win their first district
title in school history.

The Huskies, meanwhile, just hope to qualify for the district tournament for
the first time since 2007-08.

Both looked like teams capable of attaining their goals on Tuesday night in
the first round of the Northampton Christmas Tournament.

Dieruff (4-3) used a big third quarter to pull away to a 87-65 win over
Catasauqua in the opener, while Pocono West was too much almost from
the start in overwhelming the host Konkrete Kids 76-44.

So, the Panthers will go for their fourth consecutive Northampton title
against the Huskies at 7:30 tonight in a game that will feature a quick
pace. Catty and the K-Kids meet in the 6 p.m. consolation.

Considered a preseason favorite in the Mountain Valley Conference, the Panthers began the season with two losses in their first three games.

"We lost at the buzzer to Easton and blew a big lead against Allen," Pensyl said. "But we think we can be good, very good. We've got a long way to go. We could be a team that could get knocked out in the first round of districts or we can win it all."

The win-it-all gang took over the game from Northampton in the latter stages of the first quarter.

The Konkrete Kids (0-5) started strong and got out to a 7-3 lead.

But Pocono West's superior strength and quickness took hold and the Panthers closed the first quarter with a 11-2 run and then outscored Northampton 19-1 to start the second period.

Point guard Tynell Fortune was dazzling in scoring 18 points, while Keon Scott and Michael Collins added 11 and 10 respectively. Quindell Brice, just getting back in gear after missing games because of an injury, also added 11.

In terms of highlight moments, Fortune threw a perfect alley-oop pass to 7-footer Kevin Anema who had a crowd-pleasing slam dunk.

Pensyl used a lot of personnel and there was little dropoff as he went down his bench.

"Our kids were aggressive tonight," Pensyl said. "I don't know how much we learned from our losses. I rather learn from winning than from losing, but we play a good nonleague schedule and hope that it gets us ready for the playoffs. Basketball season is a long season and a lot of things can happen.

"Either you come together and play better as the season goes on or you fold up. We seem to be getting better and I'm happy with how we're going right now."

POCONO SUMMIT - At West on Tuesday, the Panthers couldn't have
gotten off to a better start. They owned the first half, forcing Allen into
eight turnovers in the first 16 minutes while putting up 39 points to take
a 14-point halftime lead. A layup by Mike Collins 34 seconds into the third

quarter put West up 41-25, but the Canaries found their range from behind the 3-point line and took care of the basketball. After hitting just one 3 in the first half, Allen made nine after intermission, and committed just five turnovers in the final two quarters.

"We switched a little bit defensively, but the same defense we played in the first half they were 1-for-14 from the 3-point line," Pensyl said. "The second half they didn't miss much. It's not like we weren't out on them. They were stepping back a little bit and shooting some deep stuff. We've got some work to do on defense. There's no question. I thought there were times that we were lackadaisical. It didn't seem like we put an awful lot of pressure on the perimeter while they were trying to run their offense."

For the Panthers, senior guard Tynell Fortune, an All-MVC first teamer last year, was simply marvelous. Fortune scored 32 points, handed out five assists and had three steals. Seven-foot senior Kevin Anema battled through foul trouble to score 13 points, grab five rebounds and block two shots.

There are still things for West to work on.

The Panthers were 13-of-24 at the foul line, were outrebounded 45-28 and allowed Allen to hit 10 3-pointers.

"We've got to get better in practice, we've got to refine some things," Pensyl said. "I really could care less about William Allen at this point. I know we're going to see them again at some point and I know that we're going to be in the mix. We're going to be in the mix. Last year I didn't know if we were one of the better teams in the district.

"This year I believe with some effort and hard work, and the kids sticking together, I believe we're going to be one of those teams, but we've got some work to do."____________________________________________________________________________________________

Fortune leads Panthers past Scranton

12.11.2010

POCONO SUMMIT — Tynell Fortune scored a game-high 22 points to
lead Pocono Mountain West to a 71-49 victory over Scranton in non-
conference boys basketball on Saturday.

Mike Collins chipped in with 19 points, including three 3-pointers for the
Panthers.

A loss late Saturday night in Stellar Construction Catch a Rising Star
Showcase in Allentown knocked Pocono Mountain West's boys basketball
team into the elimination bracket. That meant the Panthers had to return at
8 a.m. on Sunday morning and win six games just to make the final.

That's just what West did.

The Panthers won their first six games Sunday, including one against
Trinity, the team that knocked them into the elimination bracket, before
falling in the tournament final to Allen.

"There was absolutely no way I expected us to ever get there, but it was
nice," Pensyl said. "It was good experience for the kids."

And it wasn't West's normal lineup.

The Panthers only had one starter, Jake Boyle, from last year's team, one
that went 20-5 with a run of 18 victories in 19 games at one point, take part
in the tournament. That gave other players a chance to show Pensyl what
they could do.

At the front of the pack was Quindell Brice, who averaged 6 points per game as a sophomore reserve last season. Brice was named to the All-Tournament first team and it could have been more if the Panthers won the final, which Allen took 55-52.

"He should have been MVP of the tournament," Pensyl said. "I thought he was the best player there. I'm not going to slight the kid from Allen (Jalen Cannon, who was named the MVP). If we would have won the tournament he would have been the MVP. The whole tournament he was solid. He played well. He played good defense. He scored. He was real good.

"He played really well and I'll tell you what, he's going to be a nice player."

Other players like Jon Amoroso, Tyrel Dixon, Terrell Halsey and Gary Scott also took the opportunity to play and ran with it.

"To be down there all day long and play seven games in that kind of heat and I think there should be some sense of loyalty and dedication and commitment to your high school program and those kids in my eyes jumped way up on the ladder, way up," Pensyl said. "I had a bunch of other kids that were down there playing and I thought they played real well and that's huge to go down there and get in the finals."

It wasn't easy.

Pocono West beat Allentown Central Catholic, Bensalem, Manheim Township, Trinity and Faith Christian (of Florida) just to reach the semifinals. The Panthers won there, too, beating Easton 38-37 to become the first Monroe County school to make the final of the 15-year-old Stellar Tournament and the first team to reach the final out of the elimination bracket.

"The kids were great," Pensyl said. "We ended up losing on Saturday night so of course we had to go home. We lost right at the end of the game and we had to come back at 8 o'clock the next day. We were there the whole day. We ended up playing seven games. They were fantastic. They played real well. It was real good for us."

And it should only get better.

West returns all five starters from last year's team and lost just two seniors, Laurore Duclair and Chris Howard.

Add in the players who helped West reach the Stellar final and Pocono West will be a team to watch.

"I feel pretty good going into next season, but we'll see," Pensyl said. "You've got to work. Nothing is guaranteed. I certainly think with the group of kids I have returning and the way these kids played down at this tournament we've got a shot. There's no question.

"We've got a shot to make some kind of noise."_____________________________________________________________________________________________

West battles through six games in ten hours to play in Stellar championship game, finally falls to Allen 55-52

7/12/10 - On the previous Sunday night, fireworks lit up the sky in west Allentown at the annual 4th of July extravaganza at J. Birney Crum Stadium.

On this Sunday night, however, the Allen boys basketball team made its own explosive noise just down the street from the stadium.

The Canaries won their first Stellar Construction "Catch A Rising Star" Showcase title, edging a remarkable Pocono Mountain West team 55-52 in the title game before a large and enthusiastic crowd at Cedar Beach.

Tournament MVP Jalen Cannon scored 15 points and Branden Harrington added 11, including the go-ahead jumper with about 30 seconds remaining as Allen created more anticipation for the coming winter season with the championship in the 64-team, double-elimination event that stretches over four nights.

Allen had won a Progressive Realty tournament title in 1990 and lost four other times in Progressive championship games, but this was their Stellar finals appearance.

"We're a little like the host team because we're only located a half-mile up the street and these guys play on these courts all of the time," said coach Doug Snyder. "It's like their second home. But in 15 years, we've never done this, so this is special. And this is a special group of kids. They have character, grit, and they like each other.

"We had energy coming from everybody, not just the guys on the court."

Allen needed that extra lift to turn back a stubborn Pocono Mountain West team that was playing its seventh game of the day in the finals.

The Panthers began the day at about 6 a.m. with the drive to Allentown and tipped off at 8 a.m. against Central Catholic.

They beat the Vikings, Bensalem, Manheim Township, Trinity, Faith Christian of Florida and Easton just to reach the championship game.

And they did all of this without four of their starters.

It was no wonder that coach Brad Pensyl was awarded the J. Milo Sewards Memorial coaching award.

But Pensyl credited his kids for persevering through a long, hot day.

"It was a great effort and I'm very proud of the kids," Pensyl said. "It's a long day for the kids and I was a little concerned about their health playing all day like that, but they hung in there.

"I never thought we'd be here all day. I thought we'd last for one or two and then get out of here, but they kept playing hard. A lot of kids moved up on my depth chart today. It was a great experience for the kids who were here."

Pensyl said he was concerned about the championship game.

"I was worried that we might get pounded and lose by 30 or something, but we gave them a great game," Pensyl said. "We had our chances and what I really like about our kids is that they're not jerks. They are good kids who represent the school well. They're gentlemen."

Snyder feels the same way about the Canaries.

"Our kids had our team camp this past week and that meant they were working with 59 Allentown kids — rising fourth graders to ninth graders — all day from Monday through Friday and they did a great job with that and then came out here to play basketball," Snyder said.

"They just have something special about them. They never get down. I always think they're going to come up with a special play or make the right decision to allow us to win a game."

Allen saw a five-point lead turn into a three-point deficit in the second half, but found a way to rally as Harrington, who had a terrific postseason last winter, hit a big outside shot to give them a 53-52 lead. Then after a defensive stop and rebound, Cannon made two big free throws to clinch it.

"This championship means a lot," Cannon said. "It feels good to win a championship and be an MVP."

Among the final six teams were Liberty, North Penn, Easton, and Faith, the team that was brought to the Lehigh Valley from Orlando by former Whitehall and star Tony Medina.

"It felt great to be home," Medina said. "I don't think the kids even understand the magnitude of this tournament, but they played well against some great competition. We're also in the Eastern Invitational at Reading at the same time and it gets tiring, but they loved it. It was the opportunity of a lifetime for them to be part of something like this and we intend to come back."

Liberty star Darrun Hilliard was not around on Sunday as he had to leave with his Jersey Shore Warriors for the Reebok Classic in Neptune, N.J. Even without him, the Hurricanes beat Glen Mills and Norristown before losing by a point to North Penn.

Hilliard still made enough of an impact to make the second team of the all-tournament squad. He was joined by Wilson West Lawn's Zack Zweizig, Norristown's Aaron Webb, Trinity's Kevin Agnew, and Wyoming Valley West's Eugene Lewis.

The first team featured West's Quindell Brice, Allen's D.J. Brown, Faith's Alex Sanchez, North Penn's Matt Possanza and Easton's James Middleton. The Rovers' Lincoln Holley won the Sixth-Man Award.

Jack Keiter won the Adam Spengler referee award; the entire Stellar staff won the Ray Ward Memorial Award for most-dedicated non-participant and Keith Groller won the tourney's lifetime achievement award.

7/9/2010 - On paper, one of the most attractive first-round boys matchups on the Stellar Construction "Catch A Rising Star" Basketball Showcase schedule was Friday night's Nazareth-Pocono Mountain West game.

The Blue Eagles and Panthers were two of District 11's elite teams last winter and return many key players. In fact, some thought Friday could provide a 2011 4A championship game preview.

But as often happens in the summertime, the best laid plans go awry. Neither side was at full strength when they squared off at Cedar Beach.

Pocono Mountain West rolled to a 52-20 victory, but both coaches weren't sure what could be learned from a battle of mostly non-starters.

"It's frustrating sometimes when you don't have all of your guys, but I don't get real excited about it," said Pocono West coach Brad Pensyl. "We always like coming down here and I am already looking forward to next season because I think basketball in District 11 will be better this coming season than it was last year.

"A lot of teams have players back … Nazareth, Liberty, Allen, Emmaus, Parkland down here .. East up our way. A lot of teams will be very good. Us, too."

Pensyl's team got 13 points from Quindell Brice and 10 from Tyrell Dixon and his team didn't miss a beat despite lacking three starters.

"Sometimes you get a group where everybody worries about who's scoring," Pensyl said. "I don't think that will happen with these guys because we have a lot of good players, but not a marquee player. As long as the kids remain focused and unselfish, we're going to be all right."

Pocono West, as usual, will play more than half of the Lehigh Valley Conference's membership in its nonleague schedule and will also play in the Hoop Group event at Parkland on the Sunday before the Super Bowl.

Nazareth is not on West's schedule, but no one would be shocked if the teams met in districts.

Joe Arndt's team just needs to get healthy and together by the time November rolls around.

"We're missing about four kids, starting with Chuck Dibilio and his spleen injury," Arndt said. "He's probably done for the summer. We're not sure how it happened. It could have happened in basketball, it could have happened during football. He's such a tough kid that he kept playing and they're not sure when it really happened. He just found out it was serious last Thursday.

"We're also missing Karl Keglovits and Drew Hercik and one of the guys off the bench, Shane Siebler. They're playing baseball. Kris Kent's hurt. So, it's tough. It's hard to get an engine rolling when you're missing at least three major parts. My main concern is to get everybody together in the winter."

Arndt admitted that it would have been a "great, great matchup" if both teams had their full squads. But that meeting will have to wait.